


These Images That Fill My Head

by lukedancewithme



Series: blind!muke oneshots [2]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: M/M, Soulmate AU, blind!luke, side cashton bc why not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 02:42:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3273749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lukedancewithme/pseuds/lukedancewithme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You only see colors when you meet your soulmate....<br/>Luke's blind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Images That Fill My Head

Luke knew from the time he first understood what soul mates were that he was fucked.

Not because he was one of those angst-y teenagers refusing to believe they had a place in the world, let alone someone to share it with. He didn't detest the idea of being predestined to be with someone, nor did he have some deep-rooted, childhood fear that they wouldn't want him back. Luke wasn't afraid of the possibility that his soul mate could be a guy just as much as it could be a girl, and he didn't dread for the day he met his other half.

But in a world where colors first appear to your eyes when you meet your soul-mate, it would be useful to have a working pair. 

' 

Ashton had been his best (and only) friend since he had to come to Luke's aid during what he referred to as the 'cinema incident'. Ashton was two grades above him, so they didn't share any classes, but they always sat together at lunch, right at a table in the front corner where Luke could find it easily. 

Luke was already halfway through his ham sandwich when he heard Ashton's tray hit the table. He sat up a little straighter and into what Ashton called his 'interrogation position', a million and one questions ready to roll off his tongue. Ashton sounded like he was about to say something, but Luke took it as permission to start.

 

"How was Adelaide? What does it look like? How were your cousins? Did you go to the beach? Does the sand feel the same? Did you-" Ashton cut him off,

"Luke! Shut up for a second okay, I have something really important to tell you. Like really, monumentally, hugely, life changing-ly big to tell you okay?" Luke nodded and sat back in the cafeteria chair, settling his sandwich in his hands for a casual bite as he listened to whatever Ashton had to say. He heard his friend take a breath.

"On Sunday, right before we left to head back home, my Aunt Gina sent me to the servo down the way yeah? She need some milk or whatever and my cousin's were out at their respectable jobs and such and my mom kept telling me the whole trip to be helpful and what not; what since my uncle left a couple months ago and all...I mean that was the whole reason we went for a visit anyway and-"

"Ashton get to the point already, Jesus."

"-right, sorry. So anyway, I go down to the shop and the only other person in there is the boy working the register. I start to walk to the back by the refrigerated section but I hear the kid up front gasp and turn around to see what's going on, you know? And when I look up its like woah. Everything looks different and crisp bags that had always been grey are now red and the paint on the walls is green and I look over at the boy again and he's looking at me and he's so pretty, Luke. He's got real tan skin and brown eyes and brown hair and I know everyone says brown is a boring color but I don't care because he makes it look breath-taking." By this point Ashton's getting long winded, but Luke doesn't have the heart to try and cut him off. He lets Ashton have his fun rambling on because he knows this must be exciting; knows Ashton probably thought about this the whole flight home, just waiting to recount it to Luke when he saw him the next day.

"Once I got my head back on, I went right up to him and said 'Hey, I'm Ashton and you're my soul-mate so I'm going to kiss you now, if that's alright,' and he goes 'I'm Calum and that sounds great,' and god Luke, his lips were so soft. I can't believe I found him." Ashton ends his monologue with a dreamy sigh.

"That's great Ashton! I'm so happy for you. One thing though, Adelaide is 15 hours away. How is that going to work?" There is a silence and Luke can only assume the older boy is thinking.

"Well, I mean, there's Skype and phone calls for now. And I've only got one more year here before I leave for university, I can find a decent school over there and then we can be together, properly." Luke flinches at the mention of Ashton leaving, an idea he tries to avoid thinking about at all costs. He always knew that the time would come where Ashton graduated, but he thought he would stay close to home -close to Luke- not be a plane ticket away. 

 

After that, Luke asks Ashton what colors look like, though that is nothing new as Luke's always asking Ashton what things look like. They fall back into their usual routine for the next few months, until Ashton's in a cap and gown ready to graduate.

'

The day Ashton stuffs his bags in his mom's beat up wagon is bitter sweet. Luke knows he's going to miss him more than anything, but Ashton's been counting down the days until he can see Calum again so Luke tries his best to sound excited. He'll be away at university up to the small break in the middle of August, when he comes back for a week and a half visit. Luke's not looking forward to being all alone at school, but he smiles and hugs Ashton as a send off all the same.

'

The two years Luke endures by himself at school are hell. He's friendless, and drowning in homework and university applications. Where Ashton would usually help him with his assignments, he's had to resort to his mother's help. Which was absolute torture as she was a maths teacher and wouldn't let him leave the table until he could solve the problems correctly, no matter how long it took them. Not only was Luke lonely, but he was also bored. When Ashton was around, there was a car and incentive to go out and have adventures. On his own however, Luke was bored out of his mind, and there are only so many things he can do to occupy his time. 

Ashton would come home for visits at two scheduled times a year: the winter break in August, and for Christmas Holidays in the summer. Those were Luke's favorite times of year, but after a few weeks away from Adelaide, Ashton would get antsy and want to go back to Calum again. Luke felt replaced, and for the first time in his life he felt like a burden to his best friend. 

Whenever Ashton did visit, he filled Luke in on all his adventures at university. Calum was a grade younger and ended up going to the same school with his friend Michael. They all share an apartment just outside of campus, though Asthon says Michael threatens to move out at least once a day due to the high levels of fond radiating off the couple.

He told Luke all about Calum, and even though they had never met, Luke counted Calum as his friend, given all Ashton had rambled about him. He would also talk about Calum's friend, Michael, and how he hadn't met his soul-mate yet but let Calum and Ashton dye his hair all sorts of crazy colors. And he always left with a kiss on the forehead and a plea for Luke to come join them when he graduated. 

'

Luke hopped out of the car and stretched lethargically, cracking his neck and readjusting his sunglasses from where they had become crooked during his nap. His mom had already popped the tailgate and was unloading some of his bags when Luke heard, then felt, Ashton greeting him. 

 

"Lukey! It's been a long time coming! I can't believe you're finally here. Come up, we can get your bags in a second, I want you to meet the guys finally. Oh Calum's so excited- Liz! Leave those be and come see the place, your staying the night aren't you? We've got plenty of time, come on now." Luke could feel Ashton bopping around next to him, his energy contagious and suddenly Luke was feeling a lot more awake and just as excited as he was at the start of the car ride, 15 hours ago. 

 

Ashton guided Luke up the stairs to the second floor, then pulled him to the door of his -and now Luke's- apartment. It was already propped open so they just walked straight in, Ashton announcing their arrival quite loudly. Luke felt his stomach drop.

It's just that he was finally with his best friend again, after these past few years, and he's so excited. But everything's so different, more than that they're just at university now, and miles away form home. Ashton has Calum now, he's not going to have as much focus for Luke. Not to mention there's this Michael character that Luke's 99% will hate him based on what he's gathered so far. Suddenly Luke is second guessing his whole decision on coming to Adelaide. 

 

"Cal, babe, come meet Luke!" Ashton leads Luke so he's sitting on a comfy sofa, then goes to make a cup of tea for Liz. A couple minutes later Ashton returns and Luke can hear that someone else is with him. 

"Michael's popped down to the shop, the little shit he is. But you can meet him when he comes back, I mean you're gonna be living together so you'll have plenty of time for introductions. Anyway, this is Calum Hood, he's my soul-mate. I mean you knew that but this is the first time your actually meeting..so..." Ashton grabs Luke's right arm and lifts it up, Luke gets the idea and feels around for Calum's hand to shake. 

"Hi, I'm Luke. It's lovely to meet you Calum, Ashton never shuts up about you when he comes home." He earns a huff and a nudge from Ash for that, but it doesn't hurt, it feels like home.

 

'

Mrs. Hemmings had long since packed up and refused Ashton's flood of offers to stay the night, instead opting to visit some family in the near Barossa Valley before starting the long journey home. 

Luke had moved all his suitcases into the first room in the hall, and was getting ready to start the tedious job of unpacking when he heard the apartment door open. There was the rustling of bags coming from the kitchen, and since Ashton and Calum had just left for a lunch date, Luke assumed it was Michael, finally back from his trip to the store. Luke got up and trailed his hand along the wall as he found his way to the kitchen, still a bit lost in the new space. Once he reached the door way, he cleared his throat a little to make himself known. 

 

"Hey, I'm Luke. Are you Michael? " He heard what sounded like a can drop and hit the aluminum flooring, and a soft gasp, but no response. He tried again,

"Michael? Are you okay?" Again silence. He fiddled with his sunglasses, a nervous habit he had picked up when Ashton left and he felt like he was being stared at all the time. Luke felt so small, and so judged. He knew Ashton didn't explicitly tell his roommates about him, claiming it didn't matter, but right now he couldn't feel more vulnerable. He could hear whoever was in the kitchen make his way over to him quickly and stop infront of him.

"How are you not freaking out dude! What the fuck?!? Hold on," He hears Michael's footsteps race down the hallway, then a what sounds like a yell and a laugh all mixed in one, then the footsteps are coming back.

"Purple!! My hair is purple! I mean that's what Calum told me he was dying it, but now I can actually see! This is amazing! Luke, how are you not freaking out?! We're soul-mates and look around, all these colors! This is the coolest thing ever!" Luke didn't feel like freaking out, he felt like the walls were closing in on him, but really it was just Michael getting closer, taking up his personal space.

"I'm blind. I can't see 'all these colors'."

 

Michael let out a soft 'oh' and stepped back a bit. Luke stumbled back to his room and locked the door, leaving Michael -his soul-mate- in the kitchen, groceries still sitting on the counter. 

'

No one bothered him until later, when his stomach was beginning to rumble. He had heard through the thin walls Michael -his soul-mate- explain what happened when Ash and Calum got back. But no one had tried to talk to Luke yet, probably thanks to Ashton's advice. He knew how the younger boy liked to be left alone for a while when it came to serious matters, it gave him some time to process all that had happened.

Michael was his soul-mate. Which okay, he can deal with that. All the things Ashton told Luke about him made him seem like an intimidating bad boy, but to Luke, so far, he seemed more like an excited puppy.

And it's not that Luke doubted they were soul-mates, it's just that he didn't feel any different. He never thought he'd miraculously be able to see when he met his other half or anything, but he always expected to feel at least a little bit different. He didn't have any huge epiphany, or some self discovery that made everything clearer. He didn't have any sense of meaning or wholeness added to his life. He just felt like Luke Hemmings, like he always had. It made the whole thing feel a bit anticlimactic to Luke, and not for the first time he hated the fact that he couldn't see. 

Right when his stomach was about to force him to go grab something to eat, there was a knock at the door and a plea for him to open it. So he did.

 

"I know Ashton told us to let you have some time to yourself. But, I mean, I just want to be here for you. I know we literally just met but like, were living together and were soul-mates for Christ-sake, so I feel like I have the right to talk to you regardless of what Ashton says, even if he knows you better."

 

Luke sighed and trailed his hand down Michael's arm, grabbed his wrist, then led him to his bed. He sat down and waited until he felt Michael do the same. 

 

"I guess I always thought I'd know when I met my soul-mate. Maybe not by seeing colors, but at least recognize them some how, you know? And I didn't. I wouldn't have even known I'd met my soul-mate if you hadn't freaked-out about it. And I guess that just kind of scared me, the thought that had we met somewhere else I wouldn't haven even realized it. Makes me feel a bit helpless, is all. But I'm glad that we met, glad we can get to properly get to know each other now. Sorry about running away from you earlier." Michael grabbed his hand and used his thumb to stroke over Luke's knuckles.

"It's okay, I understand why you did. It must have been scary, especially with me bouncing around and crowding you. But I'm calmer now, and I'm just really fucking excited to get to know you, instead of just going off what Ash has told me." They just sat there for a while, talking about themselves like some awkward first date. Luke could feel himself blush when Michael threaded his fingers through his own. 

 

'

Luke's world may not have burst with colors when he met his soul-mate, but to him it was just as beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> s/o to muke for being so shippable xx
> 
> maybe a part two sometime..maybe
> 
> lukedancewithme.tumblr.com


End file.
